January 2016

January 21, 2016

Tomorrow is the end of a chapter for us. We have been feeling the pull since the beginning of Nat's fourth grade year to homeschool her. She asked us about it and we had agreed at the end of this year we would revisit this for this fall. Then things changed a bunch. Here's what I know, math should not be taught only one way. When I as a parent have no idea how to help her and my husband who is a freaking nuclear scientist is outraged how they are forcing these kids to learn math it's time to do something. Math shouldn't cause tears for a kid that is genuinely good at it. Also the night she came home and told us her teacher had told her that parents can't help her with the homework because they've never done math this way so don't ask them for help, we were done. There is much to be said about common core and I'm sure if you've made it this far you can figure out that I'm not a fan. I don't agree with what the feds are pushing on our kids. It's time as parents that we started paying attention and speak up.

The elementary school has been our home for the past nearly 12 years and it breaks my heart a little that so much has changed. It's not an easy decision. The easy thing would have been to just leave her where she is but nothing is gained when we make the easy choices.I was watching her lose her love of learning and it was killing me. I know this is the right thing to do. Each of the kids have done amazingly when we made the transition, it's just the unknowns and going through the goodbyes that make me sad. It's also me being a bit scared but I always feel like I should be a little scared. Nat is by far the child that is most like me, my mini me. We have always joked she could be the one to break me. We joked because I thought we had years before we started this journey. Now we are here.

She will do great. She's excited to start her classes with Maddie on Monday. Her teachers have already emailed me about catching her up in a couple classes. I am excited for her. It's just getting through tomorrow that will be hard. There will be hard days as well as we begin, and I've told her this. So here we go with lots of prayers and a few tears and hugs.